Marker-buoy.



L. A. CARTER & L. J. HECTOR.

MARKER BUOY. APPLICATION FILED SEPT- s. 1915.

Patented Feb. 13, 1917.

2 SHEETS'SHEET I.

mwmso L. A. CARTER &-L. J. HECTOR.

MARKER uoY. 1 APPLICATION FIL'ED SEPT. 8, 1915- 1,215,98', Patented Feb. 13,1917. I v EETS-SHEET 2.

'ject of the invention rr earns Parana crate.

LEWIS A. CARTER AND LANGELOT J. HECTOR, OF HAYDEN, ARIZONA.

MARKER-Boer.

Speeificafeiers Patent. Patented Feb. 113, 1917.

Application filed September 8,1915. Serial ltd 49,603.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, LEWIS A.- CARTER and LANGELOT J. Rnoron, citizens of the United States, residing at Hayden, in the county of Gila and State of Arizona, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Marker-Buoys; and we do hereby declare the following to description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to buoys used in locating sunken vessels, and the primary obis to provide a buoy construction of this nature, which is particularly adaptable for use upon submarines or submersible vessels, Sothat in case. the vessel becomes inoperative and settles to the bottom of the sea or ocean in which it is traveling, the buoy may be released and will float to the surface of the water, indicating the position of the sunken vessel.

Another object of this invention is to provide a buoy construction as specified, which has the relay wires of a wireless telegraphic apparatus carried thereby, by means of which messages may be sent or received through the buoy, and its supporting cable when the vessels are sunk.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel form of brake mechanism by means of which the speed of the unwinding rotation of the cable carrying drum may be regulated, as desired, from the interior of the submarine, and further to provide a novel form of construction for normally holding the buoy in an inoperative position upon a supporting standard carried by the submarine or other vessel.

A still further object of this invention is to mount the Windlass or cable carrying roller and the various mechanismsemployed in connection with the buoy, upon a platformwhich is mounted for rotary movement about a circular track.

With the foregoing and other objects in view this invention consists in such novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts'as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In describing the invent-ion in detail reference will be had to the accompanying be a full, clear, and exact of round rods or pipe,

drawings wherein like characters designate like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:-

Figure 1 is a view showing a sunken submarine and the buoy in its floating position,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the cable controlling mechanism,

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of the means employed for normally holding the buoy in an inoperative position,

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modified form of the platform for supporting the buoy controlling means,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional View through a portion of the construction illustrated in Fig. 5, and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional View through one end of the shaft which supports the cable carrying drum.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, l designates an ordinary submarine or submersible vessel, which has a horizontal platform 2 formed upon the upper surface of the same. A the upper surface ofthe platform 2, and supports a frame-work 4, which is constructed of angle iron. The frame-work 4r rotatably supports a shaft 5, upon which a cable carrying drum 6 is mounted. The cable carrying drum 6 has a cable 7 wound about the same, which cable is connected to a buoy 8. The buoy is preferably constructed of metal, and has an air-tight compartment or vacuum formed therein, so that it will immediately rise to the surface of the water, when it is released from an inoperative position. The buoy 8 has a water-tight compartment 9 formed therein, in which various documents may be kept, for acquainting the finder of the buoy of-the exact nature of the vessel which has sunk. The buoy 8 may have a flag, indicated at 10, connected thereto, which will, designate the nationality of the sunken vessel.

The standards of the frame 4 have a frame-work 11, which is preferably formed connected thereto, over which the cable 7 passes, during its unwinding or winding movement .from or about thedrum 6. The rod frame-work 11 is provided for guiding the cable. The shaft platform 3 is mounted upon 14, which is supported by one of the standards of the frame-work 4, and a standard "15, which rotatably supports one end of the shaft 5. A handle 16 is mounted upon the lower end of the rod 14 and is provided for rotating the rod'for tightening or loosening the brake band 13 about the brake drum or wheel 12, by means of which the speed of the rotation of the shaft 5 and the drum 6 may be regulated. When the buoy 8 is 1n an inoperative position, it lies upon a pair of upstanding standards 18 and 19, which have their upper surfaces shaped for snugly fitting the configuration of the buoy. Flexible members 20 and 21 are passed about the buoy 8,- and they have rings 22 mounted upon their ends. The rings 22 are, when the buoy is in an inoperative position, slidably mounted upon a pivotally supported rod 23, which has its free end cut at an incline, as is shown at 24. A second pivotally supported rod is pro- Vided, which has its. free end 26 cut at an angle for snugly fitting against the angled end 24 of the rod 23', and forming a continuous rod, when the two rods-are in a horizontabposition. The-rod. 25 is pivotally supported by a standard 26, and it has a vertically extending slidably supported rod 30 connected to its end remote from the angled end 26. The rod 30 has a head 31 formed upon its opposite end. A spring 32 is coiled about the rod 30 and automatically returns it to its normal position after it has'lbeen manually forced upward.

The shaft 5 has a hollow end, indicated at 36, in whicflaplug 37, is seated. A wire 38 extends ashort distance longitudinally through the center of the shaft 5 from whence it extends radially to theshaft, and out through the same, passing about the drum 6 with the cable 7 and attached to the cable and the buoy 8. The wire 38 is connected to a socket 39 which is constructed of conductive material, and shaped to receive the conducting head or end {tiLformed on the plug 37. A wire 41 is connected to the head and extends downwardly into the submarine 1, and is connected to the operating mechanism of'a wireless telegraphing apparatus, sothat when the buoy 8 is in an extended position, as shown in Fig. 1, wireless messages may be sent from the same.

The plug 37 has flanges 43 formed upon its sides, by means of which, and bolts 44,

the plug is securely attached to the end of the shaft 'In Fig. 5 of the drawings, the platform 3 is shown as having shafts 50 connected to the cornersof the same, upon which shafts are rotatably mounted grooved wheels 51. Upper and lower tracks 52 and 53 are provided, which tracks are circular in plan, and have their upper surfaces rounded, as is shown at 54, for fitting in the grooved peripheries of the wheels 51. The upper track 52 is detachably secured, by means of bolts 56, to the angled end of an upstanding metallic bracket 57, which is secured in any suitable manner to the platform 2, and the enlarged base 58 of the rail 53.

The frame 4 may be mounted either upon a stationary platform 3, or upon a platform which is rotatably mounted upon a circular track, as has been heretofore described. this feature being left to the discretion of the person manufacturing the device.

If the submarine orsubmersible, ship sinks, the rod 30 is pulled downwardly, which will rock the lever 25, and separate the engaging end of the levers 26 and 23,

be regulated as desired from the interior of the submarine. The wire 38, which is connected to the cable 7 will travel upwardly with the same, and if it is desired, a wireless telegraphy sending apparatus may be carried by the buoy 8, so that wireless messages may be sent from the same, permitting the sunken ve$el to call for assistance.

From the foregoing description-taken in connection with the accompanying drawings the advantages of construction and of the method of operation of the improved marker buoy will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains and, while in the foregoing description, the principle of the operation of this invention has been described together with various features of construction, it is to be understood that certain minor features of construction, combination and arrange- 'the outer surface of the top of a submarine,

a platform, flanged wheels carried by said platform and engaging said track for rotatably supporting said platform, guard plates carried by said track and overhanging said wheels, standards carried by said platform, a shaft rotatably carried by said standards,

a drum mounted upon said shaft, a cable for Winding or unwinding upon said drum,.a d

buoy connected to one end of said cable, and means for regulating the winding or unwinding rotation of-said shaft and drum.

2-. In a marker buoy structure, the combination, of a rigid circular track carried by the outhr surface of the top of a submarine,

a platform, flanged wheels carried by saidwinding rotation of said shaft and said drum,a .pair of brackets carried by the top of the submarine and shaped to receive said buoy, a rod supported beneath said brackets, rings slidably mounted upon said rod, flexible members carried by said rings and adapted for extending around said buoy for holding it upon said brackets, said rod being composed of a pair of pivoted sections, a vertically movable rod connected to one end of one of said pivotal sections and extending inwardly into the submarine, said last named rod adapted for rocking the section to perunit the buoyant movement of said buoy to slip said rings ofi' said rod for permitting the buoy to rise.- I

3. In a marker buoy structure, the combination, of a rigid circular track carried bythe outer surface of the top of a submarine, a platform, flanged vwheels carried by said platform and engaging said tracksfor rotatably supporting said platform, guard plates carried by said track and overhanging said Wheels, standards carried by said platform, a shaft rotatably carried by said standards, a drum mounted upon said shaft, a cable for winding or unwinding upon said drum, a buoy connected to one end of said cable, means for regulating the winding or unwinding rotation of said shaft and said drum, a pair of brackets carried by the top of the submarine and shaped to receive said buoy, a rod supported beneath sai brackets, rings slidably mounted upon said rod, flexible members carried by said rings and adapted for extending around said buoy for holding it upon said brackets, said rod being composed of a pair of pivoted sections, a vertically movable rod con-- nectedto one end of one of said pivotalsections and extending inwardly into the submarine, said last named rod adapted for rocking the section to permit the buoyant movement of said buoy to slip said rings off said rod for permitting the buoy to rise, said shift being provided with a hollow end, a socket mounted in said hollow end and constructed of electrical conducting material, an electrical conductor connected to said socket, said conductor'connected to said cable and said buoy, a plug for insertion into said socket, an electrical conducting Wire extending-through said plug and communicating with the interior of the submarine.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses. LEWIS A. CARTER. LANCELQT J. HECTOR. l/Vitnesses to L. A.- (1: I. O. PYLANT, W. R. GABRIEL. Witnesses to L. J. R:

CHARLES H. STUDL'EY, Jr., ELVA O. STUDLEY.

Eagles of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

